by M. Gregg Roe
“That’s actually impressive,” she said, shortly after they turned left down an alley. “Ariel’s taken refuge in her childhood but still functions as an adult.”
“It took a great deal of time, and the help of many people.” And even now he worried about her.
Peri furrowed her brow as she looked over at him. “So, who will I be patrolling with tomorrow?”
“That is not for me to decide.” But he planned to make a recommendation to Sergeant Ilia.
“And you’re just going to run off and save some village I’ve never heard of?”
“Yes, I am. My friends and I are experienced when it comes to this kind of thing. We have fought troglodytes before.”
“I’m just surprised that you can take off from work with so little notice.”
“I will receive no pay,” he explained. But he couldn’t leave it at that. He explained about how Captain Hagen was a family friend.
“He’s also from outside Andoran’s Realm?” she asked, shaking her head. “This city is very strange.”
Gabriel decided not to comment. To him, it was Zardis that seemed strange, with its maze-like streets and entire neighborhoods completely gone to ruin. It wasn’t somewhere that he would ever care to live.
The day before, Peri had talked nonstop about her dinner with Ermizad. She had been quite taken with both the woman and her daughter. Her meeting at the Temple of Dukane had also gone well, and she would soon begin taking instruction there.
“Tell me about the others in your adventuring group,” she said suddenly. “I’m especially interested in the spell-casters.”
Gabriel obliged, quickly sketching out each person’s strengths. One reason that they had been so successful was that they were well-balanced as far as combat ability and spell-casting were concerned. They also worked well together despite their differences.
“That’s impressive,” she remarked when he had finished. “I’ve met Ariel now, but I’d like to meet the others.”
“I can arrange that after I return, with the exception of Siljan. She will likely return to her temple directly from Havenbrook.”
“But she’s here in the city now?” asked Peri, tugging on a braid.
Gabriel paused a moment to think. “She is likely staying with Saxloc’s parents.”
“And where is that? Maybe I’ll just pop in and talk to her for a few minutes. She sounds interesting.”
He couldn’t possibly just send her to the mansion. “I will escort you there after our afternoon patrol. It is not far from the Guard building.”
“Thank you.” She flashed him one of her winsome smiles. “I don’t want to become an adventurer, but I enjoy meeting other spell-casters.”
Gabriel returned her smile. He was already speculating just how Peri would react when she saw just where Saxloc and his parents lived.
Audrey had barely left her cottage when she heard two familiar voices, one of which was surprising. She soon arrived at the spot where Romee was talking with Siljan, near a mass of currently dormant rose bushes.
Romee looked her way and exclaimed, “Siljan says that you need to go get Ilona and Iris!”
The words lightened Audrey’s heart, because she had feared that Siljan might be bringing bad news. But the young woman did look uncharacteristically serious as she flicked her eyes toward Romee and then looked toward the mansion.
Audrey nodded her understanding before addressing Romee. “Why don’t you go tell your mother the good news?”
“Okay!” The girl took off running, neatly dodging the few remaining icy patches.
“Mother?” asked Siljan, frowning.
“Yes, that what she calls Almera. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea, but that’s what Romee wants. And we did tell her that her name isn’t going to change.”
Still looking concerned, Siljan said, “I’ll talk to her while I’m here, which is only until tomorrow morning. That’s when we leave. Can we go to your cottage to talk? Or were you heading out somewhere?”
“I was just going shopping, but that’s not necessary now. Let’s go.”
Once inside the cottage, Audrey hung up both of their cloaks by the door. She left her visitor in the sitting room while she went to make the two of them some tea. When she returned, she found Siljan sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Benson’s bed, stroking him gently as he purred contentedly. Audrey handed over a teacup and sat down nearby.
“I remember seeing him the first time I visited the mansion,” said Siljan wistfully. “And he was already an adult. He must be at least nine or ten.”
“He was young enough to father three kittens last year,” said Audrey, smiling and raising her teacup.
“And he’s certainly made himself at home here.”
“So, we’re leaving tomorrow?” Audrey was already feeling impatient.
Siljan took a sip of her tea before answering. “Hankin is arranging us a ship. We’ll leave here after breakfast.” She launched into a description of her visit to Havenbrook, and Audrey simply listened quietly. She didn’t know what troglodytes were, but she had a book that she could look them up in.
“I need to visit an alchemist this afternoon,” continued Siljan. “They sell a salve that protects against a troglodyte’s stench. I’ll buy enough for all of us.”
“Okay. I’ve got a Shorinken class this afternoon. How long should I tell Grasapa I’ll be gone?”
Siljan finished her tea as she thought about it. “Seven days minimum. It could be more if the weather turns or there are complications.” She shrugged. “These things rarely go as planned.”
Audrey knew that all too well. “This will be underground again?”
“They’re holed up in an abandoned coal mine. I can see that you don’t like the sound of that.”
“No, I really don’t.” She had suffered a panic attack the last time, then made it through the rest of the adventure by sheer force of will. An abandoned mine sounded especially dangerous.
“Maybe we can just burn them out or something. We’ll have Ariel, so we could probably manage without you.”
Audrey hadn’t considered that, and it was certainly tempting. “I’ll think about it. I just want to see my cousins and bring them back here.”
“And they’re eager to come here,” returned Siljan, smiling and waving her empty teacup.
After Audrey refilled both of their cups, Siljan told her about the three women from Farmerton, all of whom were familiar to her. It would be nice to see them too. Next followed questions about how she was dealing with her loss, and Audrey answered truthfully, suspecting that Siljan would know if she lied.
“I still think about it,” said Siljan with a haunted look. “Sorry, I … I’m going over to the mansion. I need to speak to Saxloc.” She rose to her feet and so did Audrey.
“I think he’s at a magic lesson right now, but he should be back this afternoon.”
After showing her guest out, Audrey started laying out the things she was going to wear and take along with her. It was finally time.
Saxloc’s day started off poorly, and it kept getting worse.
Even though it was only five days after his own, he had managed to completely forget about Audrey’s birthday. (He would still be in the dark if his mother hadn’t taken him aside after breakfast and casually mentioned the special dinner she was planning for tomorrow evening.) Gift-giving on birthdays wasn’t common in the Witch’s City, but he knew that it had been in Farmerton. He wanted to give her something, but what?
On the way to the Witch’s Castle for a magic lesson with his grandfather, Daragrim, the solution came to him. An odd brooch had been found in the ruins of Farmerton—crafted from a rare metal, slightly magical, and decorated with Andoran’s symbol. And that brooch was currently in his grandfather’s possession while he investigated it. All Saxloc needed to do was get it back and then maybe buy some kind of nice box to put it in. It was perfect.
It turned out that Daragrim wasn’t done examining
the brooch (possibly because Saxloc had forgotten to give it to him until recently). His grandfather also patiently explained that giving Audrey a reminder of Farmerton’s destruction on her birthday might not be the wisest idea. And then there was the fact the brooch already belonged to Audrey and the other survivors; it wasn’t his to give. Thoroughly abashed, Saxloc found it difficult to concentrate during his lesson.
Following his lesson, Saxloc headed outside to the daily market that was held in the wide plaza that surrounded the castle. That didn’t go well either. The inclement weather, bitterly cold and blustery, meant that there simply weren’t that many vendors present (and hardly any customers). He looked at everything, but he couldn’t find anything that looked appropriate as a gift.
His next plan consisted of wandering the city’s shopping areas while desperately praying for inspiration. (He prayed to both his deity, Arwon, and to Lasrina, whom Audrey worshipped.) Clothing was out of the question. Audrey only seemed to buy new items when old ones wore out. Jewelry was also a bad idea. As far as he knew, she only owned two pieces, one of which had been her mother’s. She would probably never wear the brooch if it did end up with her, especially since it was so large. That just made his wanting to give it to her as a present seem even more idiotic. What had he been thinking?
After she had broken a quarterstaff last year during an adventure, he had gotten her a new one, even having his grandfather apply an enchantment to it to make it a more effective weapon. Had he planned in advance, he could have bought her some new throwing knives and had them enchanted. Or maybe gotten her an enchanted dagger. But it was too late now.
After over an hour of wandering randomly, the answer came to him: rice wine. Audrey really had a taste for it, but, because she was frugal to a fault, only bought the cheaper brands. A long walk to the other side of the city led him to a speciality shop that he had heard of but never patronized. It was impressive inside, all polished wood, artistic displays, and impeccably dressed shop clerks. He quickly settled on an assortment that included four different brands of wine and four green porcelain cups. It came in a beautiful walnut box that Audrey could use for storage. It was perfect, and they assured him that it would be delivered to her cottage tomorrow afternoon, just as he had requested.
After another long walk, now featuring intermittent snow flurries, he arrived back home to a madhouse. The mansion’s huge parlor was buzzing with multiple conversations, and both fireplaces had been lit. Saxloc stood at the entry for a moment simply taking it all in.
Audrey was in a far corner speaking with Tabitha, worrying Saxloc that they might be talking about him. His father was speaking with Gabriel, who was still wearing his guard uniform. His mother was chatting with Romee, no doubt fielding questions. But the really confusing part was that Siljan was there talking to someone unfamiliar—a plump young woman with the dazed look of a first-time visitor to the mansion.
Romee suddenly darted his way, with his mother—their mother, he reminded himself—following. “It’s time to go get Ilona and Iris!” she said excitedly, stopping mere inches in front of him.
That explained Siljan’s presence, but it was a definite surprise. “It is?” he asked, smiling even as he began to mentally review all the preparations he needed to make.
“Yes! I can’t wait. I wish I could go with you.”
“Romee,” said his mother, sweeping up in one of her elegant dresses. “See if anyone would like something to drink.” The girl obeyed instantly, heading straight to where Gabriel and Draymund were standing.
Saxloc listened as his mother gave him a précis of the news that Siljan had brought. He hadn’t expected that they would be leaving so soon, but there really wasn’t a choice.
When he told his mother about the gift he had purchased for Audrey, she nodded her approval. “Audrey will no doubt object that it is too expensive, but it is a thoughtful gift. It will be awaiting her when she returns. On the other hand, the large dinner party I had planned for tomorrow evening is ruined.” She smiled sweetly. “But for an excellent reason. Everything will be ready when you return with the twins.”
After his mother excused herself to begin serving drinks, Saxloc headed straight to Siljan, receiving a startled look from the woman she was speaking with.
“This is Peri,” said Siljan. “She’s Gabriel’s new partner.”
That made no sense, but there would be plenty of time to ask Gabriel about it during their trip. After nodding politely at Peri, he turned his attention to Siljan. “I’m heading upstairs to start preparing. I’ll see you at dinner.”
The right-hand stairs led to the wing where his suite was located. From his storage closet, he quickly retrieved his backpack and a number of other items. Then he selected some appropriate clothing from his walk-in wardrobe. Finally, he made use of a concealed stairway to the practice area below, where he conducted a detailed inspection of his armor and weapons. Preparing for an adventure was a familiar and comforting routine.
If all went well, he would soon be living with three young girls. And if the twins were anything like Romee, it would be both interesting and exhausting. He was looking forward to it.
Siljan knew an opportunity when she saw it. Peri was still off-balance, confused by Saxloc’s hasty departure. And of course she was still reeling from being in a parlor larger than many people’s houses. Only castles could compete with the mansion for sheer grandeur and ostentatiousness.
“You know,” said Siljan, trying to sound casual, “I never planned on becoming a priestess. But now that I am, I’m glad.”
Peri tugged on her left braid—clearly a nervous habit. “Don’t you mean that you’re studying to become a priestess?”
Siljan allowed her smile to slip. “I am a full Priestess of Kyran. But my circumstances weren’t normal. The temple was understaffed.”
Peri gestured with her right hand, then stared in horror as that caused rice wine to slosh out of her goblet and wet the rug. “I … um … didn’t mean to insult you.”
“It’s fine. And don’t worry about the rug.”
“Okay.” Peri took a large gulp of her wine and barely avoided coughing.
“I just think that you should give serious consideration to studying to become a cleric. It’s not a definite commitment.” She turned and pointed. “Draymund originally planned to become a Priest of Arwon.”
“And now he slays dragons?” Peri shook her head. “He doesn’t look strong enough.”
“He’s all muscle under those fancy clothes,” explained Siljan. “And he has two powerful magical artifacts designed to slay dragons—a sword and a shield.”
“That would make a difference, I guess.” Peri drained the rest of her goblet. “I should go. My grandparents are expecting me for dinner.”
Siljan put down her own goblet. “I’ll walk you out; the paths are confusing.”
Looking embarrassed, Peri held up both her hands. “Gabriel already said that he’d walk me as far as the castle. But thank you. It was nice meeting you, Priestess.”
“You too, Peri. If you do change your mind, I would appreciate you giving consideration to my temple. We’re still short-handed.”
“I will.” Peri turned and walked off in Gabriel’s direction.
Siljan was disappointed, but at least she had tried.
After finishing her drink, she decided to go back to her room and nap until dinnertime. Siljan was thoroughly tired of traveling—it would have been wonderful to just stay several days at the mansion—but time was of the essence. They had a village to rescue and two little girls eager to travel to their new home. It would be an adventure.
5
‡ Ambush ‡
Audrey was the first to be attacked, and the first to fall. Saxloc was desperate to get to her, to heal her injuries before she actually died. Audrey was stronger than she used to be, but she still lacked experience. And he still felt a strong need to look after her when they were adventuring. He needed to go to her aid, but first
there was the matter of actually defeating the bizarre creature that had ambushed them.
Their trip had started badly, with the ship leaving late and then taking longer than normal for the downriver trip due to a stiff breeze out of the west. That left them no choice but to spend the night in Rohoville at the Royal Stone Thing, a name that still amused Audrey to no end. King Danj had, of course, approved of their mission, telling them that troglodytes are “not good”. Queen Sabrina had simply wished them luck and seen to it that they were well-provisioned for their travels.
The problems continued the next morning. Already impatient, Audrey wanted to head directly to Havenbrook instead of their longer planned route which would allow them to spend the night in Merryton. Surprisingly, it was Ariel who finally managed to convince her, pointing out that they could easily get lost taking an unknown route, especially since everything was now covered by several inches of snow. That proved to be the correct decision, because the weather took a turn for the worse that night, adding a thin layer of ice on top of the snow.
Travel the next day was grueling, with flurries of snow and sleet powered by gusty winds. And that, perhaps, is why no one noticed the large bush that didn’t blend in with the surrounding vegetation and which was covered by less snow than one would expect. It was a shambler, a carnivorous abomination that was both plant and animal. And at first glance, they really did look just like large and dense bushes.
Walking in the last row along with Hankin, Saxloc had seen it all. Audrey’s normally lightning-fast relaxes failed her as she simply gaped at the thing now looming over her. The first blow from one of the shambler’s club-like arms struck her right shoulder, causing her to drop her staff and sending her to her knees with a dazed look. The second blow she managed to partly avoid, but it still drove her face-first into snow now spattered with her blood.
Saxloc drew his sword but then remembered all of those discussions with his grandfather about employing proper tactics. Gabriel was already charging at the creature, and it was rotating its “body” to face him. Instead of moving, Saxloc concentrated and cast Magic Missile, sending three nearly invisible bolts of force that struck the shambler with a splintering sound. It reacted with an odd twisting spasm but otherwise made no noise.